Young and old falling through the cracks

Homelessness across NSW jumped by 37 per cent from 2011 to 2016, according to the ABS figures, prompting charities to call on the State Government to take urgent action.

The ABS figures showed the rate of estimated homelessness increased from 40 in every 10,000 people in 2011 to 50 in every 10,000 in 2016.

New South Wales CEO of the St Vincent De Paul Society Jack de Groot said the State Government was not taking the issue seriously.

"We really have what needs to be understood as a crisis," Mr de Groot said.

"We have a government who in the form of the premier has come to office with a commitment to the issue of housing in this state over a year ago and little to show other than actual deterioration in the numbers."

Mr de Groot said the Government needed to call a housing crisis summit involving community housing providers, NGOs and developers to make "clear decisions about a sustainable solution to this housing crisis throughout the state".

"What's gone wrong here is a failure to read the tea leaves that we have all been showing to government," he said.

"We've been showing them that we've seen, as service providers, an increase in the numbers of those who have insecurity around their housing."

He said the new data painted a shocking picture of homelessness in the state, increasing across age and geographic demographics.

"It is unacceptable that we continue on as normal when we know that more and more of our young people and far too many elderly women are falling into homelessness at rates never seen before — this should not be the type of norm that we accept.

"We face profound and complex problems and we need the government to look at serious solutions."

NSW Minister for Family and Community Services and Social Housing Pru Goward said the new data revealed "emerging issues" that would require investigation.

"Reducing homelessness is a priority for the NSW Government," she said in a statement.

"Our current investment in homelessness services and programs, which is a record investment, has increased by 43 per cent over four years."

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